Package dispensing means



17, 1956 3 Sheeis-Sheec 1 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR 1941- s. w. WILLIAMSON IACKAGE DISPENSING MEANS Filed Dec. 17, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 59 xPANs/o/v I VALVE 57 PACKAGE STORAGE COMPARTMENT lMSUlAT/ON BR/NE ,5 6 a 4 a 4m 91 1; I0 PACKAGED/SEENSER I35 o 3 12 I54; I40 lsi =A/R TEMPERATURE x= =$URFACE TEMPERATURE r-BRINE TEMPERATURE v BEL 0W ZERO Z2 ALL OTHER F/auREs v ABOVE ZERO.

[Mimi-550E (oMPARmE/vr INVENTOR Jan. 7, 1941- s. w. WILLIAMSON PACKAGE DISPENSING MEANS Filed Dec. 17,. 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 23 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to machines for dispens ing packages of frozen goods, which must be stored in the machine at a temperature below the freezing point of water. One of the principal difliculties encountered with this kind of machine is the deposition of frost within the machine at points which interfere with its operation or servicing. It is one object of this invention to minimize these difficulties by localizing the deposition of frost at points where it will not be troublesome.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings by a machine of the type disclosed in my Patent Number 2,078,984, entitled Package dispensing apparatus. For details not particularly described in the present specification reference is made to the said patent.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a package dispensing machine suitable for vending packages of ice cream, for example;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same machine with parts of the operative mechanism removed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top of the cabinet with the lids removed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the top of a cabinet;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of a slightly modified dispensing chamber with the appurtenant parts.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the illustrative package dispensing cabinet there shown has an outer housing comprising a main casing I, to the top of which a lid 3 is hinged at 5. The casing is divided by partitions 2 and 4 into three principal compartments, namely, a storage compartment 6, a control mechanism compartment 8, and a compressor and motor compartment l0. Within the storage compartment 6 is a refrigerating medium container 1, here shown as a brine tank, formed with package storage compartments 9. To the bottom of .the brine tank I is fixed a casing l2 enclosing a package dispensing chamber It. At the bottom of the brine tank is an escapement device l6 for controlling the delivery of packages from the package storage compartments 9 to the dispensing chamber l4. Art the bottom of the package dispensing chamber is a tubular chute l8 normally closed by a door 20. The chute l8 delivers the packages into a tray 22,

anism indicated generally by the reference character 24, which actuates the escapement device and registers the packages dispensed. The operating mechanism, in this particular machine, is controlled by checks or coins inserted in a coin slot 26. In the compartment l there is a motor 30 for opening the door 20, Operating through a driving gear described in my divisional application Serial No. 188,827 filed February 5, 1938-. This compartment also contains the compressor, which is not shown in the drawings. The space in compartment 6 between the outer casing l and the brine tank I, and between the partition 2 pensing chamber are rigidly mounted within the compartment 6 preferably by insulating supporting means, which reduces the conduction of heat into the refrigerating medium container to a very slow rate. The illustrative embodiment shows the refrigerating medium container, or brine tank, provided at the top with two supports H (Figs. 1 and 3) connected to it in any suitable way. The two ends of each support are connected respectively to brackets l by bolts I1, the brackets l5 being secured to the top [9 of the casing by screws 2| and 23. The bolts l! are provided with four nuts 25 for attaching them respectively to the support II and brackets l5, and between the brackets and the nuts, and between the support and the nuts are insulating washers 21. The holes in the brackets and the support are made large enough so that the bolts ll do not come in contact with the sides of the holes, their only contact being with the washers 2l. Thus leakage of heat through the brackets and support H to the brine tank is very slow. At the bottom the chute l8 constitutes the mounting for attachment of the dispensing chamber to the partition 2. This tubular chute is made of insulating material and is attached to the wall of the dispensing chamber and to the partition 2 by screws 32. The brine tank and dispensing chamber are thereby rigidly supported within the space inside the casing I, but the supporting means are such as to insulate the brine tank and dispensing chamber from the casing.

The refrigerating medium container is prefer-'- ably filled with a refrigerating liquid, such as brine, and the drawings show a pipe coil 34 (Fig. 2) for refrigerating the brine. This coil receives its refrigerant from an expansion valve 36 ,/"supplied by a tube 38 leading from the compressor from which they can be removed by the customer. The compartment 8 contains an operating mech-j (not shown) in the compressor compartment. The refrigerant is returned by a pipe 40.

The package escapement device l6 may be of the form described in detail in my above-mentioned divisional application. Figs. 1 and 2 show a slide 3'! representing the moving part of the escapement device. The space within which the escapement device is housed is necessarily at a temperature well below the freezing point of water. Unless protected from frost deposition,

the escapement device would soon become so frosted by the moisture of the air, which enters the dispensing chamber as the machine is used, that its moving parts would stick. Likewise, the packages might not be permitted to fall freely, due to restriction of the bores throughwhich the packages pass on their way from the package storage compartments to the dispensing chamber. In accordance with my invention the escapement device is protected from frost by setting up a slow air current within the dispensing chamber moving in such a way that the air which passes the escapement device has always been chilled to a temperature below that of the escapement device, whereby deposition of frost upon the escapement device is substantially reduced. This result is accomplished by providing a refrigerating the air within the dispensing chamber and inwardly spaced from the outer wall of the dispensing chamber. In this way the air adjacent the refrigerating surface is chilled and becomes heavier, causing it to flow downward in a stream which moves past the escapement device; 'I'he air adjacent the outer wall of the dispensing chamber is warmer than this chilled air and therefore lighter. Thus the air rises along the outer wall of the dispensing chamber to supply the deficiency caused by the settling of air adj acent the refrigerating surface. In other words, the presence of the refrigerating surface in the position described increases the static-head of the air surrounding the refrigerating surface, above'that of the air adjacent the outer wall of the dispensing chamber. Therefore the air moves downward around the refrigerating surface and upward along the outer wall of the chamber.

The results of actual tests of Fahrenheit temperatures in the dispensing chamber and other refrigerated parts of tire? cabinet are shown in Fig. 2. These temperatures were taken by thermocouples located at the various points indicated in Fig. 2. The round dots are air temperatures, the crosses are surface temperatures, and the triangles are brine temperatures, as indicated in the chart at the right side of the figure. A comparison of the temperatures taken at close intervals in two vertical lines at the left side of the chamber shows that the temperature at each point in the left hand line, adjacent the outer wall of the chamber, is higher than the temperature at the same level in the right hand line,

next to the refrigerant container. ,The difference is particularly noticeable in the immediate vicinity of the brine tank, where temperatures of 4 4, and 3 along the brine tank stand opposite temperatures of 9 8, 6 /2", and 5, respectively along the outer wall of the dispensing chamber. It is obvious that the column of air adjacent the brine tank is heavier than the column adjacent the outer wall of the dispensing chamber and that there is a slowly moving current of air downward from the brine tank passing the escapement device. This downwardly moving current of air. has had its dew point reduced to 3 or 4, which is several degrees lower than the temperature of the escapement device, shown as 9. The escapement device is preferably insulated from the brine tank; if it is suspended from the brine tank, as shown in the drawings, a gasket 39 may be inserted, which causes the temperature of the escapement device to be kept higher than that of the current of air moving past it without dlfliculty. The necessity for this gasket depends upon the construction of the escapement mechanism. If its moving parts should be some distance below the brine tank, the insulating gasket might be eliminated, because there is a constant flow of heat from the air in the dispensing chamber to the escapement device, and this flow of heat may in many cases keep the temperature of the escapement device around its moving parts sufliciently above the temperature of the refrigerating surface above it to prevent deposition of frost on the moving parts and surrounding adjacent stationary parts of the escapement device.

I have shown'the refrigerating surface in the dispensing chamber as being constituted by a downward extension of the brine tank into the dispensing chamber. The invention is, however,

not limited to this form of refrigerating means.

The extent of exposed surface of the refrigerating means must be sufflcient to accomplish the purpose of chilling the air to a temperaturebelow that of the moving parts of the escapement device and the adjacent stationary parts, but

should not be large enough to chill the whole body of air in the dispensing chamber to a temperature nearly as low as that in the storage compartments 9, so that the extreme coldness of the packages coming from the storage compartments 9 will be somewhat moderated as they hang in the air of the dispensing chamber. Preferably the exposed surface of the refrigerating means is vertical in order to direct the current set up downward past the escapement device.

In order to conserve the cold temperature in the dispensing chamber I4, the door is filled with insulation, and furthermore there is prefrably provided a flap ll which drops into place immediately after the package slips through. To enhance this protection still more there may be used a vestibule arrangement of the kind shown in Fig. 5. Here, in addition to the insulated door 20 and flap 4| there is a flap 43 located at the inner end of chute 3. This flap 43 normally stands in the full line position, but it is sufficiently light and flexible to move to the dotted line position to let packages through. It is through the door opening that most of the fresh air comes into the dispensing chamber, bringing with it its dissolved moisture. In order to reduce this moisture in the air before it gets into the dispensing chamber proper, I may provide a drying device, preferably in the form of a frost localizer such as shown in Fig. 5. The chute I8 is provided with a socket 45 into which is screwed a cup ll having good thermal conductivity. The bottom of this cup is connected to a tube 49 communicating with the brine tank I at 5|. Thus thebottom of the cup 41 is kept very cold, colder than any of the other parts in its vicinity. It may be used in this form to frost out moisture from the air, but preferably a second removable cup 53 is inserted into the cup 41, for instance by a screw connection 55. The cup 53 preferably touches the cup 41 at the bottom and. not along the sides, thereby keeping its bottom at a lower temperature than its sides and causing the frost to build up from the bottom of the cup. The re-' movable cup can be taken out from time to time and allowed to thaw out, being replaced by a spare cup. By this means the air within the vestibule between flaps 4| and 43 is dehumidified downwardly with a rising temperature gradient and much of the moisture which would otherwise pass into the dispensing chamber and build up upon the refrigerating surface there is kept out.

Another part of the cabinet where frosting causes inconvenience is at the top, where the packages are inserted into the package storage compartment at frequent intervals. In the cabinet shown in the drawings a cover 51 of insulating material rests upon supports 59 and ii and is provided with collars 63 fitting upon the top edges of the package storage compartments 9. The apertures of the collars 63 are covered by caps 65, preferably made of insulating material also. Over the caps 65 and cover 51 is a lid 61, which is also packed with insulating material and is provided at the bottom with an insulating gasket I I. There is necessarily a certain amount of space between the lid 61 and the caps 65 and cover 51. This space is filled with air and after recharging the package storage compartment this air will be substantially fresh air with humidity depending upon atmospheric conditions at the time. The moisture from this air would condense out upon the inner walls of the top space if no means were provided for collecting the frost elsewhere. This condensation may run down in the form of drops, and if these enter the storage compartments they freeze and become projections which may interfere with the feed of the packages through the storage compartments. Furthermore, if the closures to the package storage compartments are not properly sealed, moisture laden air might pass into these compartments before being dehydrated. Fig. 4 shows in detail a frost localizer for preventing deposition of frost at points where it will interfere with servicing of the cabinet. The brine tank has an upwardly extending nipple H, which may extend entirely through a hole 13 in the cover 51 and which may constitute the filling nipple for the container. This nipple being an integral metallic part of the brine tank is at a very low temperature and its upper edge would provide a place for deposition of frost where it would not be troublesome. However, I prefer to use a larger and preferably removable surface for the deposition of frost. For this reason I provide a cup 15, which fits into a ring 11 covering the upper end of the nipple 1|. The cup I5 is preferably sufliciently long to extend into the refrigerating medium container and, if the latter is filled with a refrigerating liquid, to dip into the liquid. Due to the well-known phenomenon that moisture within a refrigerated space moves towards the coldest spot in that space, the inside of the cup 15 will gradually accumulate the moisture in the space 10, leaving the other parts exposed to the air in this space practically dry.

I claim:

1 1. In' a machine for dispensing packages re frigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container surrounding a package storage chamber; an escapement device mounted below said container in said dispensing chamber, to control the transfer of packages from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; said container having a sufficiently extensive portion of its refrigerating surface above said escapement device projecting downwardly into the space within said dispensing chamber, to establish the air circulation and temperature conditions in said dispensing chamber such that the air moves adjacent said escapement device.

2. In a machine for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container surrounding a package storage chamber; an escapement device mounted below said container in said dispensing chamber, with interposed heat insulating means, to control the transfer of packages from said storage cham-- her to said dispensing chamber; said container. having a sufficiently extensive portion of its refrigerating surface above said escapement device projecting downwardly into the space within said dispensing chamber, to establish the air circulation and temperature conditions in said dispensing chamber such that the air moves downwardly with a rising temperature gradient adjacent said escapement device.

3. In a machine for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container surrounding a package storage chamber; an escapement device mounted below said container in said dispensing chamber to control the transfer of packages from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; said container having a vertical refrigerating surface exposed to the air within said, dispensing chamber above said escapement device, said vertical refrigerating surface being of sufficient extent to cool air passing in contact therewith below the temperature of said escapement device, whereby a current of air is set up flowing downward from said vertical refrigeratingsurface past said escapement device, said air having its dew point lowered by contact with said vertical refrigerating surface to below the temperature of said escapement device.

4. In a machine for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dis- 1 pensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container surrounding a package storage chamber; an-escapement device mounted below said container in said dispensing chamber with interposed heat insulating means, to control the transfer of packages from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; said container having a vertical refrigerating surface exposed to the airiwithin said dispensing chamber above said escapement device, said vertical refrigerating surface being of sufficient extent to cool air passing in, contact therewith below the temperature of said escapement device, whereby a current of air is set up flowing downward from said vertical refrigerating surface past said escapement device, said air having its dew point lowered by contact with said vertical refrigerating surface to below the temperature of said escapement device. 7 I

5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising in combination mechanically operating package delivery mechanism disposed in a normally closed air chamber at a temperature below the freezing point of water, a package delivery passageway extending from said air chamber frigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for protecting from frost a part exposed to the refrigerated air in said cabinet, comprising a conductive body mounted in said cabinet so as to be readily removable therefrom, said body being exposed to said refrigerated air and refrigerated to a temperature below that of said part. a

7. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for protecting from frost a part exposed to the refrigerated air in said cabinet, comprising a metallic cup removably mounted in said cabinet so as to have its inside exposed to said refrigerated air and refrigerated to a temperature below that of said part.

8. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for refrigerating the cabinet, and

a frost localizer comprising a metallic body in thermally conductive relation to said refrigerat-' ing means and removably inserted in a heat insulating socket in the cabinet so as to be exposed to the air in the cabinet.

9. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for refrigerating the cabinet, and a frost localizer comprising a metallic cup in thermally conductive relation to said refrigerating means and inserted in an insulating socket in the cabinet so as to have its inside exposed to the air in the cabinet.

10. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for refrigerating the cabinet, and a frost localizer comprising a metallic cup having its bottom in thermally conductive relation to said refrigerating means and inserted in an insulating socket in the cabinet so as to have its inside exposed to the air in the cabinet.

11. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means forrefrigerating the cabinet, and a frost localizer comprising a cup mounted in the cabinet with its interior exposed to the air in the cabinet and with its bottom in thermally conductive relation with said refrigerating means.

12. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, means for refrigerating the cabinet, and a frost localizer comprising a cup mounted in a socket in the cabinet so as to be easily removable therefrom and with its interior exposed to the air in the cabinet, the bottom of said cup being in thermally conductive relation with said refrigerating means.

13. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, a refrigerating medium container formed with a storage compartment for the packages, an outer jacket surrounding said container and separated therefrom by an insulating space, a cover of insulauiig material placed over the top of said container and having an aperture above said storage compartment, a cap closing said aperture, an insulating lid placed over said cover and cap, and a metallic frost localizing element in heat exchanging relation with the refrigerating medium in said container, and projecting through said cover into the space between said cover and said lid.

14. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, a. refrigerating medium container formed with a storage compartment for the packages, an outer Jacket surrounding said container and separated therefrom by an insulating space, a cover ofinsulating material placed over the top of said container and having an aperture above said storage compartment, 2. cap closing said aperture, an insulating lid placed over said cover and cap, a metallic cup extending through said cover and in heat exchanging relation with the refrigerating medium in said container, the interior of said cup being in communication with the space between said cover and said lid.

15. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, a refrigerating medium container formed with a storage compartment for the packages, an outer jacket surrounding said container and separated therefrom by an insulating space, a cover of insulating material placed over the top of said container and having an aperture above said storage compartment, a cap closing said aperture, an insulating lid placed over said cover and cap, and a metallic cup extending through said cover and having its base in direct contact-with the refrigeratin medium in said container 'and its interior in communication with the space between said cover and said lid.

16. In a cabinet for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point 01" water, a refrigerating medium container formed with a storage compartment for the packages, an outer jacket surrounding said container and separated therefrom by an insulating space, a cover of insulating material placed over the top of said container and having an aperture above said storage compartment, a cap closing said aperture,

I. an insulating lid placed over said cover and cap,

a nipple on said container extending into a hole in said cover, and a cup removably inserted in said nipple so as to have its bottom in the interior of said container and its inside open to the space between said cover and said lid.

17. In a machine for dispensing packages re frigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container formed with a package storage chamber therein, a package escapement device in said dispensing chamber to control the transfer of packages from said package storage chamber to said dispensing chamber, and means for localizing frost in said dispensing chamber comprising a metallic body exposed to the air in said dispensing chamber, said container having a leg extending into contact with said body to maintain the same at a. temperature below that of said escapement device.

18. In a machine for dispensing packages refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container formed with a package storage chamber therein; a package escapement device located in said dispensing chamber and adapted to transfer packages from said package storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; said dispensing chamber having a discharge port through which to deliver the packages; an insulating door covering said discharge port; a flap normally standing across said discharge port at a distance from said door, to provide a vestibule between said door and'said flap, said flap being adapted to yield to the package on its delivery and to return to normal position as soon as the package passes; and air drying means exposed to the air' in said vestibule.

19. In a machine for dispensing packages re-..

frigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an insulated housing containing a dispensing chamber and a refrigerating medium container formed with a package storage chamber therein; a package escapement device located in said dispensing chamber and adapted to trans fer packages from said package storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; said dispensing chamber having a discharge port through which to deliver the packages; an insulating door covering said discharge port; a flap normally standing across said discharge port at a distance from said door, to provide a vestibule between said door and said flap, said flap being adapted to yield to the package on its delivery and to return to normal position as soon as the package passes; and a frost localizer in said vestibule comprising a metallic body in good heat exchanging relation with said refrigerant container.

20. In a machine for dispensing articles refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an outer metallic casing; an inner receptacle within said casing and spaced therefrom, said inner receptacle comprising a refrigerating medium container embodying a storage'chamber for packages to be dispensed and a dispensing chamber adjoining said storage chamber; and insulating supporting means fixing said receptacle within said casing, said supporting means comprising in part a discharge tube composed of insulating material, for delivering the packages from said dispensing chamber.

21. In a machine for dispensing articles refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an outer metallic casing; an inner receptacle within said casing and spaced therefrom, said inner receptacle comprising a refrigerating medium container embodying a storage cham her for packages to be dispensed and a dispensing chamber adjoining said storage chamber; insulating supporting means fixing said receptacle within said casing, said supporting means comprising in part a tube composed of insulating material, for delivering the packages from said dispensing chamber; an insulating door closin the outer end of said discharge tube; and a freely movable flap extending across the inner end of said discharge tube.

22. In a machine for dispensing articles refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an outer metallic casing; an inner receptacle within said casing and spaced therefrom, said inner receptacle comprising a refrigerating medium container embodying a storage chamber for packages to be dispensed and a dispensing chamber adjoining said storage chamber; insulating supporting means fixing said receptacle within said casing, said supporting means comprising in part a discharge tube for delivering the packages from said dispensing chamber; an insulating door closing the outer end of said discharge tube; a freely movable flap extending across the inner end of said discharge tube; and air drying means exposed to the air within said tube between said door and said flap.

23. In a machine for dispensing articles refrigerated to a point below the freezing point of water, an outer metallic casing; an inner receptacle within said casing and spaced therefrom; said inner receptacle comprising a refrigerating medium container embodying a storage chamber for packages to be dispensed and a dispensing chamber adjoining said storage chamber; insulating supporting means fixing said receptacle within said casing, said supporting means comprising in part a discharge tube for deliverin the packages from said dispensing chamber; an

insulating door closing the outer end of said' discharge tube; a freely movable flap extending across the inner end of said discharge tube; and air drying means within said tube between said door and said flap, comprising a metallic body exposed to the air within said discharge tube and maintained in good heat conducting relation with said refrigerating medium container.

SYDNEY W. WILLIAMSON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,227,1477. January 7, 1914.1.

SYDNEY W. WILLIAMSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the grant, line 6, title of invention, for "PACKAGE DISPENSING MEANS" read PACKaGE DISPENSING MACHINES-; and

in the heading to the drawings and printed specification, for "PACKAGE DISPENSING MEANS" read -PACKAGE DISPENSING MACHINE-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of February, A. D. 19lgl.

7, Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

